There is a rapidly increasing number of cosmetic surgeries conducted each year. Of these surgical procedures, one of the most frequent is the face lift or cervicoficial rhytidectomy. This procedure is time consuming, expensive and generally involves extensive tissue removal and typically requires 4 to 5 hours to complete. Examples of the conventional face lift procedure are discussed in: Sohn, S.A., Ed., Fundamentals of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, MD (1987), pp. 127-157; Kay, B.L., Facial Rejuvenation Surgery, A Color Photographic Atlas. J.P. Lippincott, Philadelphia, PA (1987), pp. 22-63; and Georgiade, N.G., et al., Eds., Essentials of Plastic. Maxillofacial. and Reconstructive Surgery, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, MD (1987), pp. 533-557.
In a routine face lift, the tissues are stretched, and then anchored down to a semi-movable or stretchable focus to tighten or lift loose or sagging tissue. Over a period of time, however, the stretched tissue undergoes elastic degeneration and stretching whereby the tissue again becomes loose or sags. Thus, a conventional face lift may only last for a period of about three to six years. After this time, the entire face lift procedure must be repeated.